Every Song Has a Story
by Jennjennr
Summary: Series of oneshots each inspired by songs. Chap 6 Move Along
1. Sweet Child O' Mine

Every song has a story:

Rating: K

Paring: Sasuke and Sakura

* * *

Sweet Child O' Mine

_She's got a smile that it seems to me  
Reminds me of childhood memories  
Where everything  
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky  
Now and then when I see her face  
She takes me away to that special place  
And if I'd stare too long  
I'd probably break down and cry_

_Sweet child o' mine  
Sweet love of mine_

_She's got eyes of the bluest skies  
As if they thought of rain  
I hate to look into those eyes  
And see an ounce of pain  
Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place  
Where as a child I'd hide  
And pray for the thunder  
And the rain  
To quietly pass me by_

-Axel Rose

Lazy days were really only good for a few things, sleeping, catching up on work, and thinking. No missions, training cancelled, clean house and an anal retentive nature that dictated his sleep schedule, forced Sasuke to do one of these things: thinking.

Running many thoughts through his head, they passed almost like a photo album on fast forward, images, feelings laid out in black and white.

The past was always something he avoided thinking about like the plague, there were too many things in his past that he regretted too much to repress the self hatred if he dwelled upon them; instead he turned his thoughts into an analysis of the people in his images.

In the years of their acquaintance, Naruto really hadn't changed that much, loud, obnoxious, ramen loving, blonde, short –Sasuke thought with a smug smile on his face when he recalled the slight differences in their height, him being the taller by a scant few centimeters- and loyal to a fault.

Kakashi… Hell sometimes Sasuke wondered if Kakashi even changed his clothes the way the man seemed to be forever constant… he really couldn't name one thing about Kakashi that had changed in the time he had known the lazy elite.

Now to focus on the teammate that had changed the most: Sakura. Unlike all the male members of Team Kakashi, she seemed to change her looks just as often as he bought tomatoes. In the years since he had returned to Konoha, she had grown her hair out and cut it a total of four times, he'd counted each one. It'd be up one day, down another, and in pig-tails the next. Her outfits varied too, running the gamut of short skirts to strict jounin uniform to casual jeans and a tee.

She was an enigma; emotions ran rampant through her, and she let them. Not caring if he sneered and scorned her for it, and for some reason… he admired that.

Staring at her as she lay casually flung across his couch he took her in like a cool draught of water, she was an unchanging-forever changing figure. She would always let emotions show, she would always care for him, and she would always change her mind on something given half a chance. She was his channel for the rest of the world; he couldn't interact with society so he let her do it for him.

Letting a small smile grace his face for a brief moment as she snorted in her sleep, she was his, she was precious and she always would be. She may not be gorgeous, she may not be perfect, but to him she was everything… maybe one day he'd let her know that. Whispering silently, he told her sleeping form: "Sweet child of mine." As he let his head fall back resuming his lazy thoughts.

* * *

A/n: Hi all, feel free to make song requests, I'll try my hardest to come up with something if you do. 

-Love Jenn.


	2. La Tortura

A/n: For clarity's sake Alejandro Sanz's parts will be italic, also note I have cut out a large part of the song to save space. Hrmm, this one's not for little kids... Please any native Spanish speakers forgive my horrible translation.

Rating: M for mature

Paring: Neji Sakura.

**La Tortura**  
Shakira feat. Alejandro Sanz

**Ay amor me duele tanto**

_**Me duele tanto**_

**Que te fueras sin decir a dónde  
Ay amor fue una tortura...  
Perderte **

_**Yo sé que no he sido un santo  
Pero lo puedo arreglar, amor**_

No sólo de pan vive el hombre  
Y no de excusas vivo yo

_**Sólo de errores se aprende  
Y hoy sé que es tuyo mi corazón**_

**AAaaay... AAaaay... AAaaay... Ay Ay  
Ay todo lo que he hecho por tí  
Fue una tortura perderte  
Me duele tanto que sea así **

Sigue llorando perdón  
Yo ya no voy a llorar... por tí

English rough –very rough- translation:

**Oh love hurts me so much**

_**It hurts me so much**_

**That were you without telling where oh love was a torture... Lose you**

_**I know that I have not been a saint but I can fix it, love**_

**Not only of bread the man lives and not of alive excuses I**

_**Only of errors he has learned and today I know that is you're my heart**_

**AAaaay... AAaaay... AAaaay... Oh Oh Oh everything that you did to me was a torture to lose you hurts me so much that I am thus**

**It continues crying-- pardon I already am not going to cry... for you**

* * *

Theirs was a dance of subtle sexuality, teasing and lusting. 

Was it love or just a fiery sexual passion; neither knew. Yet every time they were within proximity of one another the game began. A touch, a glance, a flash of skin, pouting lips.

Subtly was the name of the game, after all she was supposedly still fawning over the long sought Uchiha, and he, well he was the ever stoic Hyuuga Branch member, openly waging a sexual war was not his forte.

The attraction had happened merely by accident a mission where they got caught in the rain shivering and needing body warmth had forced them together, and things had really heated up.

And from there they had been trying to force the other's hands, how sensual she could look without suffering being slammed into the wall by him in a deserted hallway. How flushed he could get her without her panting and dragging him in of a kiss.

Lust was heavy in the air, panting could be heard, as could the bird perched outside the window of her office where the two were currently engaged. Pale fingers wrapped in linen took handfuls of pink hair and dragged her head back, exposing the throbbing pulse of her neck to his seeking mouth. She raked her hands down his sweat slicked back leaving red claw marks along his skin- she loved to play rough.

Slamming her farther into her desk he assaulted her mouth with a fierceness he never showed in any other scenario, she loved it when he went crazy like this. Smothering a moan on a fist she undulated her hips into his, urging him to do more than give her a delicious hickey.

_Damn this game._

Taking her own fistfuls of luscious café hair she dragged his face to hers demanding without words for this to progress.

Smirking into the flushed face he trailed his hands to her shirt, lowering the zipper and letting the air-conditioned air hit her flushed skin while trailing a callused finger over her flesh- she arched aching for more. Slipping her hands down to the dip of his spine she eased her fingers under his jounin pants and lowered the dark fabric over the round curve of his ass to his thighs, lifting up, touch lingering on the smooth flesh.

Growling to her he met her challenge, quickly hitching her thighs around his hips and forcing her closer, letting her feel his own pleasurable ache. The game began again, who could stand the subtle torture the longest, who would give in first to ease the ache.

A kiss, a stroke, a moan, a lick, a grind, a sigh. How far would it go?

Sucking once again on her pulse he heard her mewling cry and knew he had won. Her hand wrapped around him and his nimble fingers moved on her, he let her guide, savoring her surrender. Then the pleasure of victory was replaced with the pleasure of flesh and she guided him in.

They rocked together; smothering their sounds with deep drugging kisses, drawing out the dance- drawing out the game till neither could coherently think, only feel. A blinding white stole their sight as both gave into the game and were consumed.

Panting hard both dancers rested as the game was done.

…

But never fear, the game will continue on tomorrow, oh the torture.

* * *

A/n: Thanks so much for reading. 

-Love Jenn.


	3. Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Rating: K

Parings: Some implied, but mostly just thoughts.

**

* * *

Crazy Little Thing Called Love –Michael Buble. **

This thing called love I just can't handle it  
This thing called love I must get round to it  
I ain't ready  
Crazy little thing called love

This thing  
Called love  
It cries  
In a cradle all night  
It swings  
It jives  
It shakes all over like a jelly fish  
I kinda like it  
Crazy little thing called love

There goes my baby  
She knows how to rock 'n' roll  
She drives me crazy  
She gives me hot and cold fever  
Then she leaves me in a cool cool sweat

I gotta be cool, relax, get hip  
And get on my track  
Take a back seat, hitch-hike  
And take a long long ride on my motorbike  
Until I'm ready  
Crazy little thing called love

Crazy little thing called love

* * *

This feeling, god what was it? 

It made her giddy. It made her smile. It made her giggle. It made her squirm.

It left her shivering, and flushing with heat. It was a freaking mass of contradictions.

Was she ready for it? Was she ready for…_It? _

Love. Yes she was in love. It made her want to flee; it made her want to cuddle. It caused her joy, and caused her agony. Oh why oh why did she fall in love?!

* * *

What was this feeling? He didn't like it, it was distracting. He couldn't be near them with out it overpowering him and making him feel- strange. 

He didn't need a distraction, he needed to train he needed… he needed… what did he need again?

His gaze shot to the figure driving him crazy; glaring at them with all his might. Always distracting him, hell she didn't even mean to, that's what the worst part was, he couldn't even blame her. Not that it really stopped him from doing it anyway.

_Stupid hormones._

* * *

There she was… his angel, his beauty, the figure who graced his dreams every night. 

He was in love, he knew it, he was a sap, he knew that too. But hell, she was…_her_. What else would he possibly say to make it clearer?

With a shy smile she could drive him insane, it made him feel like he could move mountains, he could conquer the world if only she's aim that smile at him.

Yet till the time was right he'd wait, do things to distract himself from the tugs of his heart strings. Wait till she would aim that smile at him with a flush on his face…

Drool leaked out his mouth… Oooh he couldn't wait!

* * *

A sigh escaped her, there he was, Mr. Perfect in all his hot sexy glory. The things that man did to her psyche ought to be illegal. Seeing him walk made her knees tremble, seeing his brooding stare made her swoon. 

Damn shame he hated to be around her. Ah but she'd cure him of that soon enough, enough exposure to her charms and how could he help but resist?

Now back to his hair… it looked so silky, she couldn't wait to run her fingers through it, the darn male was just so sneaky that every time she even got close, he'd maneuver away. He sure was slippery but she knew she'd catch him someday after all… this was love.

* * *

There she went again loosing her mind in some sick pink fantasies about that boy. Stupid girl- he was humbly in the opinion that all members of the female species were missing some essential part of their brain, maybe they hadn't developed enough evolutionary wise for it to be there, but whatever it was it sure made life with females damn near impossible. 

Grumbling to himself, he turned his head to stare back up at the sky dotted as it was with cumulous nebula giving him a sense of internal peace.

How was it that annoying as she was the color of her eyes matched perfectly with that of the sky?

There he went again, thinking of _her_ even when he was farthest from the world around him she haunted him, he voice- grating though he told himself it was- would play along the gentle breeze, her eyes reflected in the sky, her hair blinding him as did the sun…

Maybe that's why he liked clouds so much… at least they didn't remind him of her. Except for the occasional stray rouge which would take the shape of her making him feel betrayed.

Grumbling further he shut his eyes and tried to convince himself that if he just stayed like this the world would pass him by and that he really wasn't suppressing his feelings for the stupid blonde.

* * *

A/n: thanks for reading feel free to tell me what you think. 

-Love Jenn


	4. Fully Alive

Rating: T

Paring: None

**

* * *

**

**Fully Alive- Flyleaf**

_Telling Layla's story spoken  
'Bout how all her bones are broken  
Hammers fall on all the pieces  
Two months in the cover creases_

_Fully alive  
More than most  
Ready to smile and love life  
Fully alive and she knows  
How to believe in futures_

_All my complaints shrink to nothing  
I'm ashamed of all my somethings  
She's glad for one day of comfort  
Only because she has suffered_

* * *

_Pretty little doll._

She hated her image, a doll, frail, weak, only good for feminine things. Not to be a kunoichi, but a doll, perfect, beautiful, forever frail.

Looking at herself in the mirror she cursed her looks. Pink hair, short height, delicate features, delicate frame. She loathed it all, she was tough dammit!

She had always had men there to protect her, her father, sensei's, Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Sai, Yamato; every last male she knew would go out of their way to protect her. Sometimes she would intentionally start a fight with someone to see if someone would step in –they always did. Even when Sasuke came back and still sneered at her every time he saw her, he would still protect her.

Once not long after he had returned three others in tow, she had assumed from his attitude toward her that he –the only male she was sure- would let her fight her own battles. So she had dragged him to a bar, and he reluctantly had accompanied her, while there she had stirred up a fight –as she always seemed to do- and was actually fully anticipating beating the crap out of the guy when Sasuke had stepped in and took the punch meant for her.

Oh how she had screamed at him, and all he had done was sneer at her in his haughty way, his damn aristocratic nose in the air.

Their actions- all the males- had pushed her farther away from them. when they hadn't been there she was encouraged to fight, to be strong, hell Sasori had run her through with a katana, maybe the key to her being respected is to get away from them…

So she had, becoming a jounin at age seventeen then joining Anbu a year later, she believed she was right, without them she advanced. They hated it, unknown to them and her, she was their princess, she represented all the dreams and innocence they had in the world, when she was in danger they felt the need to protect her because without her smiling face… what was there? She was their humanity, the humanity they all had lost at a young age.

Broken bones, bloody battles, hospital stays. She thrived on these for two years she pushed herself to the brink, enjoying the pain, the blood, the fact that no one took a hit for her.

"Dammit Sakura why are you pushing yourself away from us?!" yelled an angry voice, Sasuke's angry voice. She had just come home from a tough Anbu mission and had to be admitted to the hospital from injuries suffered.

His face was worried, his eyes troubled.

"What do you care?"

"Of course I care! Dammit Sakura we all care! What are you trying to do kill yourself?! You're doing a damn fine job of it!" he seemed to be slightly shivering.

"Stop it! I can fight; I'm just as good a nin as you!"

She covered her ears; voices seemed to echo in her head. _'Tch, annoying…Weak.'_

'_Heh Forehead girl you think you- pathetic little you could beat me? Dream on…'_

'_Just stay back, Sakura don't get in this fight you can't handle it.' 'I don't think you're ready for it, I'm leaving you off this mission…'_

_Dammit I'm good I know I am, why won't you believe me?! _

_I'm not weak!_

"I'm not weak!" she shrieked.

"I can…I can defend myself… why won't you believe me… am I so worthless to you?"

"…Never worthless."

"Then what?"

"You're the only thing."

He turned and left the room leaving silence behind.

"What the hell does that mean?" Sakura asked tears beaded at the corners of her eyes.

She quit the Anbu.

"Alright guys today we'll be…Sakura?" Kakashi looked at her, it was the first time they had seen her at their morning –err… late afternoon- training sessions in over two years.

Looking down she shifted her weight from one foot to another. "I… I was wondering if I could join your training again."

His lone eye crinkled into a smile as he said. "We've been waiting for you to show up for two years."

And like that, it was ok, they forgave her and she… well she accepted that to them she would always be a doll, they would always protect her, that now she just need to make sure there were no reasons they would need to. Unbeknownst to the males she had become their guardians, making sure she would never be in a situation where they would have to save her, because she had learned, they were her everything.


	5. 4th of July

Rating K+

Parings None

**

* * *

**

**4th of July- Shooter Jennings**

_Alone with the morning burning red in the canvas in my head  
Painting a picture of you  
And me driving across country, in a dusty old RV  
Just the road and its majesty  
And I'm looking at you with the world in the rear view_

_Those white lines get drawn into the sun if you aint got no one  
To keep you hanging on  
And there you were like a queen with your nightgown,  
Riding shotgun from town to town  
Staking a claim on the world we found  
And I'm singing to you, your singing to me ,you were out of the blue to a boy like me_

_You were pretty as can be, sitting in the front seat  
Looking at me, telling me you love me, and your happy to be,  
With me on the 4th of July  
We sang Stranglehold to the stereo  
Couldn't take no more of that rock n roll  
So we put on a little George Jones and just sang along  
and I'm looking for you in the silence that we share_

* * *

How had life turned out to be so sweet? Uncomplicated, simple, it sure as hell hadn't started out that way. Yet now Sasuke stared at the people surrounding him, he sure as hell wouldn't have it any other way.

Day's were spent in happiness, there was no worry, no Orochimaru, no Sound, no Akatsuki, hell there were hardly any missions. Life was just, nice.

Today they were really supposed to be training, but hell what was the point? They were all strong, above jounin and Anbu standards. No today they were just enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Sakura and Naruto were playing around and her giggles and his laughter filled the air, adding to the feeling of simplicity. Opening his eyes Sasuke stared with contentment at the deep blue sky. This is what he had left for, he didn't want to be special, he never had, if he could have forever spent his life flying below the radar he would have been perfectly content. After too many years than he cared to count he had what he wanted, happiness.

"Hey ya teme you awake yet?"

Sasuke stared up at Naruto's face- which was hovering over his while he bent over him. Grinning Sasuke shifted his legs knocking Naruto flat on his ass.

"You stupid bastard! What'd you do that for?!"

"Cause I wanted to."

Sakura was doubled over in a fit of giggles, making his belly feel warm, even after everything she was still the sweet little girl she had always been, he loved it, Naruto would always be overly loud and obnoxious and Sakura would always be a lovely little princess. These were his precious people, and over the years he actually would let that show in his actions. Horsing around with Naruto and treating Sakura as a friend. He didn't mind their hovering over him; in fact he thrived on it, though of course he'd never tell them that.

Smiling as Sakura dragged him and Naruto to the barbeque that was being held that afternoon, also explaining the laid back atmosphere. Food was aplenty as were the friends. Music was playing in the background.

He was amused when Sakura began to loudly sing to a song, feeling particularly loose he joined her, both of them smiling brightly and singing a slightly off key rendition of the song. When the song came to an end she grinned at him, and he returned it with a smirk.

"Ya sing like crap Uchiha."

"So do you, so don't complain."

"Who's complaining?"

Smiling lightly because I knew she liked it when I did, I took her arm and pulled her slightly to him, giving her a sideways hug.

Pulling away he enjoyed the blush on her cheeks before pushing her slightly and watching her fall on her pretty posterior. Before she could register what had happened he grinned and took off.

She took to chase him, and he let her, this was his way of teasing her, she wouldn't openly try to play with him like she did with Naruto, but with the right persuasion she would chase him. Letting her think she was catching up to him he whirled around and caught her as she barreled into him, an arm around her waist he began a torture he had witnessed Naruto inflict time and time again on her, tickling.

She gasped she writhed, she laughed and giggled and shrieked till she cried, and he loved every minute of it. Finally letting up when her face was a deep rosy red and she couldn't giggle for lack of breathe, he lowered her to the ground and watched her as she recovered. Her face was still a light pink, a smile graced her face, her hair was mussed and she was still lightly panting. But she looked happy.

"I never expected you to do that." She whispered a giggle escaping her.

"Heh, well yeah it's a special day."

"How so?" her head tilted missing her hair further.

He shrugged lightly and flopped down beside her.

"I don't know, I just feel… I just feel it is."

Smiling at him she silently agreed. Together they stared up at the sky as colors changed from a light blue, to a dusky pink to a deep orange to a shallow purple, then to a blue grey finally settling to a navy color.

Together they enjoyed the show and the silence, just enjoying the day.


	6. Move Along

A/n: For Princessaly because she requested it.

Rating K+

Parings None

* * *

**Move Along- The All American Rejects**

_Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking  
When you fall everyone stands  
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking  
With the life held in your  
Hands are shaking cold  
These hands are meant to hold_

_So a day when you've lost yourself completely  
Could be a night when your life ends  
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving  
All the pain held in your  
Hands are shaking cold  
Your hands are mine to hold_

_When all you got to keep is strong  
Move along, move along like I know you do  
And even when your hope is gone  
Move along, move along just to make it through

* * *

_

Looking down at his hands he clenched them tight. He never wanted this, he never wanted to be a traitor, he never wanted to be an avenger. None of it was his choice, but he had to, there was no choice but to follow the path that lay before him, to move forward. Maybe then he could move on from the past.

Nothing in his life was right, it was all wrong!

Why couldn't he just have had a normal life?! Be a nin, join the police force, find a wife, have a family, that's all he'd wanted as a child. He resented the hell out of the fact that that life had been taken from him, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't let his brother be out there living a life with the knowledge of what he did still haunted him every night, he couldn't!

He didn't have a choice when leaving for Oto, he needed power, everything centered around it, he yearned for it, so much it hurt, it wasn't that he wanted the power, he wanted what the power would bring him –his life back.

Without the threat of this brother hanging over his head he could move on, have the life he wanted, find a wife, have a meaning other than blood and death. Suigetsu had called him a typical little Leaf-nin when he hadn't killed anyone, he still had humanity, he need it, how otherwise could he find a place in the life he wanted if he was just like his brother, he wouldn't be able to, he needed to know in his heart that he wasn't a murderer too.

This was the only way; he knew it even if others told him it wasn't. He needed to right the wrongs of the past and to do that he may need to be just as ruthless as Itachi; he couldn't do that in Konoha, he wouldn't be able to look in their faces as he ruthlessly slashed his brother to bits, he needed that, to spill his brothers crimson blood, make it flow in rivers… He couldn't do that with someone as naive as Sakura watching, someone as hopeful as Naruto watching or someone as disapproving as Kakashi watching.

So he left, not only for power but for the ability to wield that power as needed without his conscience screaming at him while they stared in horror. That's why he did this, not for power but for selfish reasons, he wanted his precious people to remain as they were, sweet innocent, caring, everything he had lost when he was eight, everything he needed, everything he wanted them to have when he came back, he only hoped to hell that those things would still be aimed at him.

So he moved one, it was the only thing he could do, he had no hope, he knew they had changed, he knew that they probably hated him now, but all he could do was move on… move on and stifle the hope.

So he moved on.

* * *

A/n: Hoped you liked it. Gee I'm wasting too much time on these... I need to be studying!

-Love Jenn


	7. Sing For The Moment

**"Sing For The Moment"**  
-Eminem

_C'mon_, sing with me, _sing_, sing for the years  
_Sing it_, sing for the laughter, sing for the tears, _c'mon_  
Sing it with me, just for today, maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you  
away...

* * *

_-Sasuke-_

_These ideas are nightmares to white parents  
Whose worst fear is a child with dyed hair and who likes earrings  
Like whatever they say has no bearing, it's so scary in a house that allows  
no swearing  
To see him walking around with his headphones blaring  
Alone in his own zone, cold and he don't care  
He's a problem child  
And what bothers him all comes out, when he talks about  
His fuckin' dad walkin' out  
Cause he just hates him so bad that he blocks him out  
If he ever saw him again he'd probably knock him out  
His thoughts are whacked, he's mad so he's talkin' back  
Talkin' black, brainwashed from rock and rap  
He sags his pants, do-rags and a stocking cap  
His step-father hit him, so he socked him back, and broke his nose  
His house is a broken home, there's no control, he just let's his emotions  
go..._

Sitting alone was always a time for reflection, even for someone as cold as him his thoughts could not be disconnected from emotions. His past was painful and he was always reminded of it no matter where he was. You can't remove the way you were brought up. His childhood was never filled with warmth and happiness –_never_- even when his clan was alive his family was never warm. The closest it came to warmth was his mother who was always guarded in affection knowing others disapproved.

All he grew up with was pain, which only bred anger, which only built up till it exploded. He was gone, out of Konoha, and away from all of his childhood, yet it still haunted him. He knew he was turning into Itachi and it scared him to death. He _was_ turning into a monster and he didn't know how to stop it.

Locking himself away from everyone was one way, blocking out the world of warmth that he so craved for one of cold, inky black darkness where nothing could touch him and make him face his reflection. He already knew what he would see; he could hardly stomach water anymore for seeing it –him-, Itachi, there in the ripples of the clear liquid, there in the placid stillness of a lake, in a mirror, in those damned glasses Karin wore. He was everywhere. That blank look in his eyes. Always acting so superior, nothing could touch this prodigy.

So he cut himself off, running from what he was till he exploded, Kakashi confronted him, knowing more than a perverted idiot should. Sasuke lashed out cursing him accusing him. Sakura tried to stop him offering him the warmth that he needed –_ached for- _yet he threw it away. Too mad at her for being warm to his cold that he couldn't stand hearing her. Then there was Naruto. His best friend –as if he could ever actually have a friend- the one person he had actually almost killed that didn't deserve it. Fighting Naruto had been more than just a release it was a symbol. He was breaking away, closing off, putting on blinders and headphones to avoid all that he was yelling for. If he could beat Naruto –the golden child- he could avoid anything. Naruto could make anyone reconsider their bad habits –Ha!- oh but Sasuke had beat him and he left.

Because no matter how good Naruto was at shining, Sasuke was better at running, hiding, being alone.

Because alone he wasn't turning into Itachi, alone he was just out training, focusing on a goal that was worth all the pain, all the isolation, all the anger. Alone he was Sasuke, not Itachi, alone he was just in a trough that he had to ride till the crest came and he could go home and be warm. That was all. Alone he wasn't a monster.

So he worked with Orochimaru till it was no longer palatable to spend another day in the serpents den. And he would work with Suigetsu, Juugo, and Karin till they too ran out their usefulness after which they would be discarded like a worn out sock. Because that all this was, a change of clothes. Nothing was real, this wasn't him, he wasn't this monster that tried to kill his friends and family, who betrayed his home, who lost _everything_. No it was these clothes, and once he shed them for new ones he'd be alright. He'd be Sasuke again.

But for now he wore these clothes, embraced the darkness, fed off his cold anger, because he needed to be Itachi, he needed to avenge his broken home. Maybe after all that he would limp home and attempt to solder his broken home back together.

* * *

C'mon, sing with me, sing, sing for the years  
Sing it, sing for the laughter, sing for the tears, c'mon  
Sing it with me, just for today, maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you  
away...

_–Sakura-_

_Entertainment is changin', intertwinin' with gangsta's  
In the land of the killers, a sinner's mind is a sanctum  
Holy or unholy, only have one homie  
Only this gun, lonely cause don't anyone know me  
Yet everybody just feels like they can relate, I guess words are a  
mothafucka they can be great  
Or they can degrade, or even worse they can teach hate  
It's like these kids hang on every single statement we make  
Like they worship us, plus all the stores ship us platinum  
Now how the fuck did this metamorphosis happen  
From standin' on corners and porches just rappin'  
To havin' a fortune, no more kissin' ass  
But then these critics crucify you, journalists try to burn you  
Fans turn on you, attorneys all want a turn at you  
To get they hands on every dime you have, they want you to lose your mind  
every time you mad  
So they can try to make you out to look like a loose cannon  
Any dispute won't hesitate to produce handguns  
That's why these prosecutors wanna convict me, strictly just to get me off  
of these streets quickly  
But all they kids be listenin' to me religiously, so i'm signin' cd's while  
police fingerprint me  
They're for the judge's daughter but his grudge is against me  
If i'm such a fuckin' menace, this shit doesn't make sense Pete  
It's all political, if my music is literal, and i'm a criminal how the fuck  
can I raise a little girl  
I couldn't, I wouldn't be fit to, you're full of shit too, Guerrera, that  
was a fist that hit you..._

Having always been protected all one's life can make it seem almost impossible to depend on only yourself for anything.

'_Oka-san, I'm hungry.'_

'_Otou-san, I'm tired.'_

'_Kaka-sensei, I'm scared.'_

'_Sasuke-kun, help me.'_

'_Ino-chan, can we be friends forever, I can't do anything right without you.'_

'_Naruto, when next we see Sasuke-kun, let's get him back together.'_

'_Tsunade-shishou, how am I supposed to do this jutsu, can you show me?'_

There was always someone there to help her along. Yet the older she got the more she stood on her own two feet.

'_Look shishou, I did it, I cured him without your help! I really am improving!'_

I became my own person standing alone and learning things without someone guiding me through all the steps. After all I was a brilliant person in my own right. The brightest girl of my year, a medic who's skills rival all the greats, a kunoichi who's abilities surpassed the Hokage, a female who's body, face, coloring turned men's heads.

Yet none of that could prepare her for what came with being on your own.

'_I'm sorry to tell you this, but your husband-father-brother-daughter-son-wife-sister-daughter-mother-grandmother-grandfather-friend didn't make it.' I couldn't save them._

No matter how many times she had to tell the nameless, faceless people this statement, it never –_never-_ got any easier. She may not remember their faces, but she would always remember their eyes. They were all the same, they all said the same thing; you're not good enough, you let them die.

They question you and your judgments.

'_Hmm, you know that girl, she used to be so in love with that Uchiha traitor, obviously she has low character-no taste- bad judgment- she's not trust worthy…'_

Little mummers floating in the air, like blossom petals in the breeze, littering the air, scenting it. Sakura felt their words like the heat of the sun shining on her, its own heat source blinding her with accusations and trying to get her to confess.

…Confess what?

So she wasn't some deity that could bring the dead back to life. She was not like Chiyo-Baa-sama; she couldn't exchange her life for another's.

So she stands there letting the petals float away, letting the sun wane into the horizon. Taking the accusations and using them as cushions, for when she held another patients life in her hands, their blood running over her skin, the scent of their death in the air, staining her hair –she could never wash it out-because they might not trust her judgments, but they sure as hell trusted her when she was holding their hearts in their hands.

They might not believe that she could pick men, oh but she knew how to heal.

'_Please heal me!'_

Ha I am not good enough for you to not gossip and point fingers but I am who you run to, to heal you. It was humorous really, they run to me without thought but oh I am so bad. I look in their eyes –the same that had accused- and grin, oh yes I can help you, but it would be oh so easy to end it too, and yes I've heard what you've been saying… hmmm, save you or just kill you quickly…?

I sit in my room alone at night and laugh, alone because I am standing on my own two feet.  
I laugh as they see my face, the one they accuse the one they trust, I love bitch slapping them with my eyes.

* * *

_-Naruto-_

_They say music can alter moods and talk to you  
Well can it load a gun up for you , and cock it too  
Well if it can, then the next time you assault a dude  
Just tell the judge it was my fault and i'll get sued  
See what these kids do is hear about us totin' pistols  
And they want to get one cause they think the shit's cool  
Not knowin' we really just protectin' ourselves, we entertainers  
Of course the shit's affectin' our sales, you ignoramus  
But music is reflection of self, we just explain it, and then we get our  
checks in the mail  
It's fucked up ain't it  
How we can come from practically nothing to being able to have any fuckin'  
thing that we wanted  
That's why we sing for these kids, who don't have a thing  
Except for a dream, and a fuckin' rap magazine  
Who post pin-up pictures on their walls all day long  
Idolize they favorite rappers and know all they songs  
Or for anyone who's ever been through shit in their lives  
Till they sit and they cry at night wishin' they'd die  
Till they throw on a rap record and they sit, and they vibe  
We're nothin' to you but we're the fuckin' shit in they eyes  
That's why we seize the moment try to freeze it and own it, squeeze it and  
hold it  
Cause we consider these minutes golden  
And maybe they'll admit it when we're gone  
Just let our spirits live on, through our lyrics that you hear in our  
songs and we can..._

He had always been blamed for things, a scapegoat; the perfect scapegoat. Even things he didn't do he was blamed for. He was always scorned for his secret, his burden. He had become a ninja to prove he wasn't always the bad guy. Yet the people feared him still, whispering loudly for him to hear. He knew they didn't trust him not to go Kyuubi on their asses and kill them all, heck sometimes he didn't trust himself not to either.

He was disciplined; he forced himself to confront what was in him, to overcome it, to control it. He was taught at the academy that to be a shinobi you had to have supreme discipline over yourself; you couldn't just kill whoever you felt like you had to know your opponent and know the best way to overcome them.

Sasuke-teme, that bastard had left, he left and I was alone, no one to compete against, no rival, no nothing. And the village blamed it on him, eyes accusing: look, look at the monster, he left because of _him_. How disgraceful, how could they allow someone like _him_ to be a shinobi, it only gives us a bad name. Honestly, we should just kill _him._

The way they spat out whenever they mentioned him was something he had learned to deal with a long time ago, he would never be worthy in their eyes… at least not without some major work on his part.

Sweat dripped down his face as he continued to push his body.

_2081, 2082, 2083, 2084, 2085…2800…3000._

"Ngh!" he cried as he fell over clutching his aching abdominals, 3000 sit ups, better than yesterdays 2999. Soon he would make it to 4000. He would, he knew because he had to push it, he had to prove he was able to be the best. To be Hokage.

He had to prove he was worthy of the title, as worthy as Tsunade-baa, as worthy as old man Hokage, as worthy as the Fourth. He needed to be that. In his life there was nothing else. He had to be the best, he had to bring back Sasuke, he had to win over Sakura, because if he didn't than he wasn't the best. He wasn't worthy, he couldn't be called Hokage.

He dragged his aching shivering body up to turn his eyes to the poster on his wall, Hokage Mountain. The faces of all those worthy of the title were engraved upon that rock. The entire village knew those faces. Knew they were worthy… he wanted so bad to be worthy. He became a ninja against all odds, he became one. He became good. He pushed as hard as he could, butting his opponents in the head with his own, gritting his teeth, losing control. All so he could earn the title.

He was feared, he knew it, he always had been, but he fought hard for the people, he loved them, no matter how they would curse him, shun him, spit in his face, he loved them. And one day he would earn the title, one day he would be the one that they all looked to. His face would be on that cliff and they would want it there.

So he sat here, pushing his body never –_never-_ giving up, he was worthy, he wasn't the monster they feared. He would earn the title, he would be Hokage. Because when he had his face on that stone, along with his best friends beside him, and his Sakura-chan in his arms, only then would he truly be happy. Every night he would dream, every night he would see it, feel it, touch it, taste it, smell it, hear it, love it.

He wanted to be on that monolith so that he would always be remembered, like the Fourth, people would look up and see him and remember, no matter how long he had been gone, they would remember and count him worthy, that he was fit, that he had earned it, that he was no monster.

* * *

A/n: Yes so long time no see right? Yeah I just felt the need to write today, and now I am exhausted and submitting this without proof reading, so I apoligize for the plethora that you all had to suffer through, please do tell me what you think I hope I sort of did this song justice.

Love, Jenn.


End file.
